1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical shaping apparatus and an optical shaping method.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, an optical shaping method for shaping a three-dimensional (herein after expressed as “3D”) structure in which a process for selectively forming a cured resin layer by irradiating an optically curing resin liquid with light is repeatedly performed so that a plurality of cured resin layers are laminated has been receiving attention. In such an optical shaping method, a 3D structure is shaped (i.e., manufactured) by creating data of a plurality of cross sections from design data obtained by a 3D CAD (Computer Aided Design) by slicing a computer model of the 3D structure at a predetermined pitch (i.e., at predetermined intervals), irradiating an optically curing resin liquid with light based on each of the cross section data and thereby curing the optically curing resin liquid into a layer, and successively laminating a plurality of those cured resin layers. The smaller the slicing pitch is, the higher the precision with which the 3D structure can be shaped.
As for the optical shaping method, a typical method is a free liquid surface method like the one disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. H8-207144 in which a stage for supporting an optically shaped object is gradually lowered from the liquid surface of an optically curing resin liquid contained in a tank and cured resin layers are thereby successively formed at the liquid surface of the optically curing resin liquid.